


Yuletide Cheer

by LinneaKou



Series: The Witching Hour [4]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magical Realism, Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Christmas, Christmas Eve, Family Fluff, Multi, Yuletide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-06
Updated: 2017-01-06
Packaged: 2018-09-15 07:49:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9225536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LinneaKou/pseuds/LinneaKou
Summary: The Stark-Rogers family Christmas and Yule celebrations of 2003, complete with family, food, and fun.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Late holiday fic is late, my apologies. Merry Christmas, Happy Yule, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and all the other celebrations for this time of year.

The first thing she heard was the creak of a door.

Toni startled into wakefulness, quickly taking stock of her surroundings: she was in her bed, her husband was drooling on her shoulder, the room was cool and smelling faintly of pine.

“Mommy?”

Steve snorted awake, raising his head and rolling onto his back.

There were two giggles, and Toni sat up in bed, finally getting her eyes open.

Arno and Nella peered over either edge of the bed, eyes big and bright under mops of dark curly hair.

“Oh, dear,” Steve rumbled, still flat on his back.

“Is it morning yet?” Toni yawned, and the twins giggled again.

“It’s five,” Steve informed her, raising his wrist and peering at his watch. “A bit early.”

“And also not Christmas morning,” Toni added. “You two still got one more night.”

“Daddyyyyyy!” Nella whined, making to clamber up onto the bed.

Steve finally sat up and caught their daughter under the armpits, hauling her onto the bed and letting her scramble between him and Toni.

Toni leaned over and took Arno’s hand, helping him climb up as well. The twins were still both in their footies, yet wide awake.

Steve and Toni lifted the covers, and the kids scuttled underneath, settling between their parents.

“Can we get another two hours of sleep before we, you know, get up and do stuff?” Steve asked as Nella cuddled up to him.

“I want pancakes!” Nella announced, and her brother made a noise of agreement.

“Pancakes,” Toni agreed, yawning again, “but later. Sleep now.”

“Okay,” both the twins said in unison, and they settled back in for some more sleep.

 

When Wanda and her boys stumbled into the kitchen a few hours later, Toni had a plate full of fried turkey bacon ready, and had Steve flipping the soy-free pancakes. Nella and Arno were working on their sippy cups of orange juice at the table, under Jarvis’s supervision.

“Oh, food!” Tommy said, making for the bacon with all the single-minded ferocity of a hungry teenage boy.

Wanda caught his sleeve and dragged him away. “Table. Sit.”

Toni tossed Hecate a strip of bacon, and the daemon shot her a canine grin in thanks.

“So when can we expect the others over?” Toni asked Steve as she pulled out the hash browns from the freezer. “Midday, or later in the afternoon?”

“Bucky and Nat will probably show up around noon,” Steve said, transferring the pancake he was working on to the big serving plate. “Sam might catch a ride with Arnie and Michael, or he might drive separate. Not a hundred percent sure.”

“Is your mom coming tonight?”

“She’ll be at the evening Mass, and then come by after.”

Toni nodded and tossed the hash browns in the microwave. “I’ll get her guest room ready.”

“When do we open presents?” Nella demanded from the table.

“Tomorrow, on Christmas morning,” Toni answered, hiding a grin.

“After Mass,” Steve added, and Nella and Arno groaned.

Wanda covered her mouth to keep from laughing out loud, and Billy and Tommy looked smug.

“See,” Billy said, tapping the table. “This is why Hanukkah is awesome. No Mass to sit through.”

“Hush now,” Wanda poked her son, still amused. “Don’t make it worse.”

“Besides, you two are still getting gifts,” Steve added over his shoulder. “Mind your manners.”

“Why do we have to wait until after Mass?” Arno whined.

“Delayed gratification,” Toni quipped, and Steve snorted, dousing the pancakes in syrup.

“We can go to the midday Mass instead, and open presents before breakfast?” he suggested.

“I don’t wanna go to Mass,” Nella said pleadingly. “I wanna stay home and play!”

“The children’s group will meet tomorrow,” Steve pointed out. “You two can play with Dani and Cassie then.”

Nella and Arno still pouted, but brightened up when Steve set plates of pancakes in front of them, complete with a dollop of whipped cream.

“That is too much sugar,” Toni muttered to her husband, taking in the fruit and syrup. “They’ll be bouncing off the walls.”

“It’s Christmas Eve,” Steve shrugged.

Toni rolled her eyes at him, and they ducked back into the cooking area to grab the rest of breakfast.

 

After everyone had eaten, Steve and Pietro headed outside to shovel the driveway clear of the previous night’s snowfall. The younger kids clamored to go play in the snow, and Toni grinned as she bundled them up and set them loose upon their father and uncle.

She and Wanda stood at the door, laughing, as the kids ambushed the men with fluffy snowballs. Steve tossed aside his shovel and chased down Nella, who shrieked when he scooped her up. Arno ran around the side of the house, Pietro in pursuit, and disappeared.

A moment later, Toni and Wanda heard Pietro yell, and then Billy and Tommy joined the fray from the snow fort that they’d built the previous day. Arno must have ducked inside while his cousins were laying down cover fire.

Wanda was laughing so hard that her shoulders were shaking silently, her hand clasped to her mouth.

Nella had turned traitor on her brother and cousins, and was now sitting on Steve’s shoulders, throwing snowballs that her father handed up to her.

“We’d better get towels and hot drinks ready,” Toni giggled, and Wanda nodded, her face red with mirth.

“At least they’re burning off all that excess energy,” Hermes commented, having refused to go outside with his Master.

“Yeah, they’ll all crash hard tonight,” Wanda agreed. She rubbed her hands together. “I just hope Pietro can stay awake for the Sabbat.”

This year, the Yuletide Sabbat - and by extension, the full moon - fell on Christmas Eve. Around seven, the coven was going to come together for a quick celebration and dedication, mostly ceremonial in regards to the community and not so much a spiritual thing. Toni was secretly hoping Steve would be able to put Nella and Arno to bed by then, because both of the twins got cranky by six. It was endearing, but when you were working complicated magicks, you couldn’t be stopping to make sure your irritable children were behaving.

Toni and Wanda split up to fetch the towels and milk for hot cocoa, and by the time the rest of the brood piled back into the foyer, dripping and wheezing and pink with the cold, Wanda had a pile of towels usually reserved for the swimming season at the lake. Tony yelled from the kitchen that they’d better be taking their boots off on the rug and not the hardwood, and wasn’t surprised to find the wet winterwear dropped in messy piles all over her floor when she left her damp family to sip at the cocoa from the warmth of the kitchen hearth.

She sighed and glanced down at Jarvis, who was sitting safely on the bottom stair with an amused look on his face. “I wasn’t this horrible to my own mother, I’m pretty sure.”

“You most likely weren’t,” Jarvis agreed.

Toni sighed again and set to hanging up the coats and snowpants, grumbling under her breath the whole time.

She was about to close up the front hall closet and address the issue of the soggy boots when strong hands cupped her hips and her husband murmured in her ear, “we can set out extra rugs for when everyone arrives.”

Toni hummed and leaned back into Steve’s embrace, kicking the door shut with a slippered foot. “I want to stick all the boots out in the garage.”

“You sure they won’t freeze?”

“Pretty darn. Besides, we get decent ventilation in there. It’s not like I’m exposing them to the elements. Why, what’s the problem with cold boots? When did you become such a wuss?”

Steve snorted and mouthed at her neck, having mastered the art of pushing her hair aside with his chin years ago. “You’ve spoilt me.”

“Oh, so it’s my fault?” she quipped, gently slapping at his hands and pulling away with faked indignation. He rolled his eyes at her and she stuck her tongue out at him.

“Let’s get these moved so I can put down those rugs you mentioned,” Toni said, bending down to grab as many boots as she could comfortably carry.

Steve’s lips quirked in a quick smile before he stooped to help her.

 

Their guests started arriving shortly before noon, and Toni thanked her lucky stars and Spirits that she’d begun prepping the food over the previous week. If she’d had to start from scratch on that day, she never would have managed to get the ham cooked.

Bucky and Natasha’s arrival was heralded by Nella’s delighted shriek and the pitter-patter of little feet, stampeding into the foyer to greet two of the many godparents to the Rogers-Stark twins.

Steve disappeared into the foyer and there was the sound of a manly backslap before Natasha ducked into the kitchen, bearing a tray of deviled eggs balanced on top of a chip-and-salsa bowl.

“You didn’t have to bring food,” Toni groused good-naturedly, and Natasha snorted and set her snacks down.

“Khan’s market was having a sale on this stuff, and it’s pretty good. The proceeds go to charity, too.”

“Oh, well, if it’s charity--”

Nat scooped a chipful of salsa and popped it into Toni’s mouth while she was talking, and Toni jerked back in surprise.

“Chew your food, Strega,” Nat said sweetly, and Toni made a face at her.

“Okay, so it’s good.”

“That’s right.”

Toni rolled her eyes. “Thank you for bringing this delicious salsa to our party.”

Natasha chuckled and finished setting out her offerings. “What do you need help with?”

“My rambunctious children?”

“No, I’m serious, what needs to be cooked?”

Toni wiped her hands on her apron as Natasha took a moment to scratch Jarvis’s head. “I’m serious too, Nat. I’ve got the food covered, please go and play with my daughter who idolizes you more than should be healthy.”

Natasha’s eyes actually softened at that, and she shot Toni a genuine smile before disappearing into the family room, where everyone else was gathered.

Toni eyed the chip bowl again, and then quickly grabbed another scoop of salsa. “Last one,” she vowed as she chewed.

Jarvis snorted. “Sure, Mistress.”

“Hush, don’t shame me. It’s Christmas.”

 

When Bruce showed up,  he ended up joining her in the kitchen and staunchly refusing to leave.

“You’re a great hostess,” he told her as he snatched some oven mitts off of counter. “So shut up and accept another pair of helping hands.”

“Did Steve put you up to this?” Toni demanded, attempting to herd him from the cooking area.

“Nope. Volunteered.” He shot her a jaunty wink and ducked under her outstretched arms. “How’s the ham looking?”

“Ham’s almost done. It’s the turkey I’m concerned about.”

“Turkey looks fine. A little dry, but that’s easily fixed.”

“Well then.” Toni crossed her arms. “You know where the baster is.”

Bruce flashed his teeth in a grin. “Thatta girl. What else have you got?”

“Ah, dessert. Potatoes. Salad. I’m hoping Sam brings that taco dip.”

“He will,” Bruce said, pulling the oven door open and reaching in with the baster. “He’s reliable.”

“Is someone talking about me?” a new voice trilled, and then Rumiko swept in, wearing a dark violet dress covered in sparkling sequins. “Look! Look at all this fruit! Do you know what I had to do to get this fruit?”

“Spend lots of money?” Bruce quipped as Toni embraced Ru, giggling madly.

“Hush, you,” Ru said, tossing her hair and spinning her platter around so that the pineapple was facing the eating area. “Anyway, I’ve got goodies for the kidlets. Let me at my niece and nephew.”

“TV room,” Toni hugged her again, and then blinked when Ru shoved a box into her hands and then disappeared down the hall.

“Better put that under the tree,” Bruce sing-song’d at her, closing the oven back up and stripping off the mitts.

Toni turned the box over in her hands and glanced up at Jarvis. “We told her not to get anything for Steve and me, right?”

“Has she ever listened, Mistress?”

Toni blew out a raspberry. “This is her getting me back for Samhain, isn’t it?”

“I don’t get this at all,” Bruce piped up, leaning against the dishwasher with his arms crossed. “What is it with you two and gifts? Why do you retaliate against presents with more presents?”

“We’re weird like that,” Toni said absently.

Bruce threw his hands up in the air and rolled his eyes in disbelief, and Toni laughed at him.

 

When Sarah arrived, she kicked Toni out of her own kitchen.

“Jarvis can keep an eye on the turkey and the ham, right?” she said imperiously, gripping Toni’s wrist.

“Of course, Mrs. Rogers.”

“For goodness sake, Toni,” Pepper agreed, adding her own efforts to push Toni into the hall. “You’ve done enough, Bruce and I can handle this!”

“There you have it.” With that, Sarah dragged a protesting Toni into the family room.

People had been arriving throughout the afternoon, and with most of the department and the entire coven on the guest list, calling the Manor “pretty crowded” would have been an understatement.

“Mommy! Uncle Bucky said bad words!” Arno ran to her, and she crouched down to listen as he excitedly informed her of everything she’d missed out on since Uncle Bucky had shown up and then decided to have a board game competition that had gotten fairly heated, because of course it had.

“I’m sorry I didn’t record it,” Peggy said from the armchair, Angie in her lap. “He started yelling in Russian when Sam managed to bankrupt him in Monopoly.”

“Tasha, don’t teach him Russian!” Angie barked, and Natasha shot her an evil-looking smirk. “Oh, that’s just what we need, James Barnes knowing how to swear in yet another language.”

Arno had latched onto his grandmother, who was delightedly listening to his recounting of the epic snowball fight from that morning.

Nella had gotten the Playstation booted up and was now playing Frogger with Dani Cage and Cassie Lang, and Jessica Jones and Scott Lang were trash talking each other over their daughters’ heads as Steve and Luke egged them on.

Steve looked up and spotted her and his mother, and crossed the room. “Ma!” he kissed Sarah’s cheek. “Your granddaughter wants you to help her win at Frogger, you up for it?”

“Oh, always,” Sarah answered, and Arno led her excitedly to the overstuffed easy chair near the TV, chattering the whole way.

“To think I almost missed out on Bucky swearing at Sam in Russian,” Toni said dryly as Steve got his arm around her waist. “Has everyone put in an appearance?”

“Almost. Dooley dropped off a fruitcake, I left it in the garage. Danny and Misty are on their way, last I heard. Peter and Harry and May were at Mass with Ma, they should be along soon.” Steve pulled her close, and she lay her head on his shoulder.

“Keep down the PDA!” Carol called, grinning wickedly, and Toni made a face at her.

“Shush, just be glad you didn’t walk in on them being like that in their own kitchen,” Rhodey groused, and that set off Happy and Thor in turn.

“You’re all just jealous,” Toni sniped at them, and that made them laugh harder.

“Hey,” Darcy said from the couch, a full glass of rose wine in her hand. “At least you’re getting some.”

“Online dating isn’t going so well,” Jane said, patting Darcy’s head and causing her to scowl.

“Jane! Don’t tell everyone!”

“Sorry, sorry.”

“How’s the ham coming?” Steve asked in Toni’s ear, and Toni shrugged.

“I’m not sure, you’ll have to tell me.” It was her first year making ham without Sarah’s help, and Toni had never really gotten the hang of roasting.

“I’m sure it will be fine,” Steve said. He gestured at the Christmas tree in the corner of the room. “I’m pretty sure Ma got us a crockpot, judging by how heavy that present from her was.”

“Oh my gosh, she didn’t have to--”

“Toni, ‘tis the season.” He kissed her temple, and she fell into a silent pout. “She loves you, and I know she wants to share all of her ideas with you.”

“Well, okay,” Toni grudgingly acknowledged.

“You have cranberry sauce, right?” Arnie’s long-time boyfriend asked from the couch, where he was trapped under Darcy’s stockinged feet.

“Isn’t that a Thanksgiving thing?” Sam wondered, taking a sip from his wineglass.

“Cranberries are horrible,” Toni announced. “They’re like cherries that hate you.”

Sam sprayed his drink back into his glass and hurriedly set it down on the nearest table so he could choke his laughter out, and Arnie helpfully slapped him on the back.

“That’s one way to put it,” Steve agreed benignly, grinning.

“Eloquently put as usual, Toni,” Jan said, giggling with Rumiko and Jess Drew on Toni’s other side.

Toni knew she was smiling so hard that her cheeks hurt, and she really didn’t care. She just leaned into Steve some more and observed their friends and family, carefree and jubilant.

Over at the Playstation, Billy and Tommy and Teddy had managed to switch the game over to a street-racing one and were helping the girls pick out muscle cars to compete with. Pietro offered unhelpful commentary off to the side as one of them selected a hot pink Mustang.

Clint and Kate had gotten into some kind of contest for dominance and had ducked into the billiards room to play darts. Judging by the groans from Clint and the loud laughter from Bobbi, Kate was winning. After a few minutes, the guys from the police department - Dugan, Jones, Morita, Dernier, and Farnsworth - joined them. Eventually, the sound of billiard balls knocking into each other rang out into the hallway.

On the loveseat, Natasha was in Bucky’s lap and feeding him morsels from her plate and allowing him to play with her long red hair, which she had straightened for the occasion. They were engaged in a lively conversation with Angie and Peggy about some kind of county board scandal that Toni had only heard about offhand. It sounded hilarious.

Jan, Jess, Ru, and Carol were all arguing over the ending to the Matrix trilogy and whether or not such a scenario was possible, with Rhodey and Wanda offering the occasional opinion when they could get a word in. Happy just kept repeating that Lord of the Rings had been the best trilogy ever, bar none, so everyone was ignoring him.

Jane and Darcy were discussing the pros and cons of online dating, with Michael and Sam listening with similar looks of polite disinterest. Jen and Arnie had gotten into their regular political discussion, which Toni would have to stop at some point before they plotted some kind of revolution. The coven’s various Familiars perched near their Masters or else conferred with each other underfoot, sometimes disappearing into the kitchen and returning with food.

Sarah was still sitting in the easy chair with Arno on her lap, and he was still talking excitedly - Toni knew how much he adored Sarah, and he tended to talk to her more than anyone else. Now, Arno was regaling her with summaries of books he was reading by himself, and she was nodding very seriously and contemplatively as he did.

Toni snuggled into Steve’s side and just smiled, taking it all in, until Pepper came into the room and called everyone to eat.

 

The Manor was quiet when Toni and her cousins stepped back into the kitchen. The Yule Sabbat had proceeded for a while; the Cowan guests had gone home presumably a while ago and it was long dark, so the Witches had taken the opportunity to pull out the hidden presents from the coven from the back of Pietro’s car.

“Let’s get these under the tree, I want to go to bed,” Pietro said, and the women nodded at him. They tiptoed into the TV room, only to find Steve still up and reading by candlelight in the armchair next to the fireplace.

He grinned and tapped a finger to his lips, eyeing the couch. Sure enough, Nella and Arno were curled up on either end of it, wrapped in blankets and using an arm each as a pillow, sound asleep.

Wanda let out a small sigh. “I wish my boys were still like that,” she said wistfully.

“Let’s not wake them,” Toni whispered. “What has Santa Claus been up to?”

“Ho, ho, ho,” Steve nodded to the tree, and Toni was impressed. He’d managed to set out all of the extra “Santa” gifts and fill the stockings without waking the kids.

Toni and the Maximoffs quickly added the coven’s gifts to the pile, and then Pietro, Wanda, and their Familiars quickly snuck out of the parlor and upstairs for the night. Toni tiptoed over to the armchair, and Steve set his book on the side table and pulled her into his lap.

“The others wanted to say thanks for the food,” he murmured against her hair, and she smiled.

“I think I’m getting the hang of this Christmas ham thing,” she said, cuddling up to him. “Was it edible after I left for Sabbat?”

“My Ma was impressed,” Steve answered, and Toni smothered a giggle.

They sat in silence for awhile, the only sound being the creaking of the house and the whistling of the wind.

“Thanks for doing Christmas with me,” Steve said quietly, kissing her collarbone.

“Thanks for doing Yule with me,” she answered, combing her fingers through his hair. “You think we can get them into the nursery without waking them?”

“You’ve got that magick touch,” Steve said. “I was waiting for you.”

Toni snorted, and they carefully got to their feet and scooped up their children, trying their hardest not to wake them. Toni hummed softly, a lullaby that Maria had sung to her and her brother as children, and neither twin woke as the four of them left the parlor.

“Jarvis,” Toni said, nodding at the candles. “Could you?”

“Of course, Mistress.”

 

With some help from Jarvis, Toni and Steve were able to get the twins tucked into their beds. Steve made sure to plug in Nella’s nightlight as Jarvis curled up at the foot of Arno’s bed. Toni gave her Familiar a kiss on the head and they left the door cracked open as they snuck back to their bedroom.

Steve merely stripped off his shirt and climbed into bed, already in his pyjama pants, but Toni had to take off all of her jewelry and extra layers before she could slip out of her thick woolen dress and shrug on her nightgown.

“Hurry, hurry up,” Steve urged, patting the duvet.

Toni made a face at her husband as she decided to forgo her shawl, instead tying her hair back into a messy ponytail before pulling the covers back and sliding between the sheets, sighing with relief as she pulled the blankets up and snuggling up to Steve’s body heat.

“How many hours of sleep do you think we’ll get?” she asked, kissing his shoulder.

“I’ll bet you ten bucks they’ll be up by six.”

“Deal.”

Steve laughed softly and scooted down so he was level with her. “Happy Yule, beautiful,” he said, drawing her in for a proper kiss.

“Hmm,” Toni answered, kissing him back. “Merry Christmas, beloved.”

 

In the end, Steve won the bet. The twins burst into their parents’ bedroom a few minutes before six, squealing excitedly.

“Mommy! Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!”

“Daddy, get up! Santa came, Santa came!”

Toni moaned and tried to hide under her pillow, but Steve had already pulled Arno onto the bed and the four-year-old was jumping excitedly around her. She felt Nella scramble up as well, and one of the twins belly-flopped onto her.

“Oof!”

“Mommy, wake up! It’s Christmas!”

“Oh, I figured,” Toni said, rolling onto her back as Arno grinned up at her from her tummy region.

“Mommy, there were _presents_ under the tree!” he informed her excitedly. “Santa came and everything, even though we were waiting for him!”

“Oh, my,” Toni said wryly, giving Steve a look. Her husband had his innocent choir boy face on, so he was clearly pleased with himself.

“Can we open presents, please!” Nella begged, scooting up so she could climb onto Steve’s lap. “I don’t wanna wait until after church.”

“How about we check your stockings before Mass, and then open all the presents as soon as we get home?” Steve suggested.

Arno brightened up at that, but Nella made a disagreeable noise.

“It’s a compromise,” Toni said, wagging her finger. “Either we do that or we wait to open everything until after.”

Nella looked ready to sulk, but Steve poked her in her ticklish side. He was rewarded with a giggle and a wobbly scowl.

Jarvis makes a prim noise from the doorway. “Strega Wanda has volunteered to ensure lunch for when you return,” he informed them. “The Maximoffs are going to be sleeping in for the meantime.”

“Lucky them,” Toni said, and Steve nudged her with his shoulder. “Okay, up. Everybody up. Jarvis, is Sarah awake?”

“I believe Mrs. Rogers is still asleep.”

“Arno, go wake up your grandmother. Gently, please!” Toni called after him as he bounded out of the room.

Nella was still a little sulky, so Steve grabbed her around the waist and tossed her over his shoulder. “C’mon, princess. Let’s go pick out your church clothes.”

“Bwahhh,” Nella whined, flailing against Steve’s back as he disappeared into the hallway.

The room fell quiet. Toni took the moment to stretch luxuriously and run a finger through her messy curls.

“A blessed Yule to you, Mistress,” Jarvis said, jumping up onto the bed.

She gathered her Familiar into her arms and buried her face in his silver fur. “And to you, Jarvis.” She kicked back the covers and shoved her feet into slippers before the cold could take hold, and shook her hair out of the ponytail to substitute a shawl. “Let’s go get some eggs cooked for the little goblins, shall we?”

Jarvis purred in her arms, and she shuffled out of her bedroom and into the sun-bright hallway, the Christmas chaos already unfolding around her.

She wouldn’t have it any other way.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so the full moon of 2003 was not on Christmas Eve, but sue me. I just wanted to write fluffy Christmas fic with kidlets and warm family feels (because f*ck 2016 and the dysfunction of all the superhero teams this year).
> 
> THERE IS STILL MORE FIC. Next up is the prequel, which includes Loki, Steve's POV of their first meeting, and the infamous incident where Toni turned Steve's hair blue. \o/ also in the pipeline: A FULL-FLEDGED SEQUEL. You thought THIS was the sequel? NOPE.


End file.
